All posts tagged Harley-

Motorcycle makers and federal highway-safety regulators are taking a harder look at whether advanced safety technology can help reduce fatal accidents and injuries for those who ride.

Manufacturers, at the urging of federal safety officials, are moving to make antilock brakes available on more models. BMW AG is making the feature standard on all models as of the 2012 model year. At the same time, the government and industry are moving ahead with new studies of whether antilock brakes, which can help a rider stay upright during a hard stop, can reduce motorcycle fatalities.

Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson completed the sale of MV Agusta, its sport-bike business based in Varese, Italy. The company’s announcement didn’t include the sale price but its 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission revealed the company essentially paid MV Agusta’s former owners to take it back.

In the filing Harley said it ”contributed 20 million Euros to MV as operating capital” that was put in escrow and is available to the buyer over a 12-month period. The buyer is Claudio Castiglioni, who, with his brother Gianfranco, ran MV Agusta for years before selling it to Harley two years ago for about $109 million.